New York - Brooklyn College Faculty Condemn NYC Police Spying

In this photo made Aug. 18, 2011, people pass below a New York Police Department security camera, upper left, which is above a mosque on Fulton St., in the Brooklyn neighborhood of Bedford-Stuyvesant in New York. The New York Police Department collected intelligence on more than 250 mosques and Muslim student groups in and around New York, often using undercover officers and informants to canvas the Islamic population of Americas largest city, according to officials and confidential, internal documents obtained by The Associated Press.(AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

New York - Brooklyn College faculty passed a resolution condemning the New York Police Department’s infiltration of Muslim student groups, complaining that it threatens intellectual freedom and the civil rights of both pupils and teachers, the college said Monday.

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The college’s Faculty Council voted unanimously to condemn the practice, part of a broad intelligence-gathering operation that the NYPD has built in the last decade with the help of the Central Intelligence Agency. The collaboration was a focus of an Associated Press investigation, prompting the CIA to probe whether its actions violated laws that bar the agency from spying on Americans.

“The use of undercover police agents and the cultivation of police informers on campus has a chilling effect on the intellectual freedom necessary for a vibrant academic community,” the resolution said.

The Faculty Council passed the resolution on Sept. 13. It was first reported on Monday by NYPD Confidential, a blog run by reporter Leonard Levitt. A spokesman for the college, Jeremy Thompson, confirmed the resolution’s passage and said Monday that college President Karen Gould shared the professors’ concerns.

The AP’s investigation revealed that the CIA helped the NYPD set up a unit to monitor mosques, cafes and restaurants frequented by Muslims. It also placed undercover officers in student groups to listen to discussions.

“That’s what’s so troubling here: that it seemed like ... this was a giant fishing expedition,” said Alex Vitale, a sociology professor who drafted the faculty resolution. “That seemed to be really beyond the pale of acceptable behavior, especially on a college campus.”

A 2006 document obtained by the AP listed a Muslim student association at Brooklyn College as one of seven college groups “of concern” in the city. It cited “militant paintball trips” and fundamentalist speakers.

The other groups were at Hunter College, La Guardia Community College, Baruch College, St. John’s University, City College of New York and Queens College.

The documents say police had undercover agents in the Muslim student associations at Brooklyn College and Baruch College.

The NYPD has said publicly that it only follows leads and does not troll for information.

Gould met with faculty on Sept. 13 and told them that police had informed administrators about any spying, Vitale said.

Brooklyn College has about 16,900 students and is part of the City University of New York.

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Sep 20, 2011 at 12:13 AMkvetcher Says:

As a Brooklyn College alum I can honestly say that the faculty needn't worry about the investigations having a chilling effect on intellectual freedom at the college. Intellectualism has been absent from the BC campus for quite some time now, well before this investigation even began. If the faculty is searching for someone or some thing to blame for the lack of intellect on campus, I suggest it begin by looking in the mirror.

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Sep 20, 2011 at 12:25 AMALLAN Says:

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Sep 20, 2011 at 12:29 AMAnonymous Says:

Seriously!! I think the professors at brooklyn college have WAY to much time on their hands. They should be thanking the NYPD for protecting them on a daily basis from any attack on their campus. THey really need to get a life

4

Sep 20, 2011 at 12:34 AMHistory repeats and repeats Says:

When they did this to the Jews we complained. Don't forget we were once "enemies" of the state. Terrorists, bandits, accused of crimes we didn't commit. Crimes a government carried out specifically to blame us. Learn your history Yidden.

10

Sep 20, 2011 at 08:04 AMshtill Says:

“
When they did this to the Jews we complained. Don't forget we were once "enemies" of the state. Terrorists, bandits, accused of crimes we didn't commit. Crimes a government carried out specifically to blame us. Learn your history Yidden. ”

Your comment exhibits a very challenged intelligence. I don't recall reading in any history book about Jews bombing innocent people at random. I can't recall any mention of Jews smashing jetliners into skyscrapers. I can't recall any source stating a Jewish philosophy of killing and murder. You should take your own advice to heart and read some history.

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Sep 20, 2011 at 10:30 AMSolomon Says:

To #10- Evidently, you don't remember historical events. In 1971, the Jewish Defense League bombed the offices of impresario Sol Hurok; he previously arranged for cultural events, such as the Russian ballet coming to NYC. A Jewish woman, a secretary, died because of the bombing. Also, in 1947, the King David Hotel was bombed by the Irgun. There were also innocent civilians who were killed in that bombing (both Jews and non-Jews).

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Sep 20, 2011 at 10:31 AMesther Says:

“
When they did this to the Jews we complained. Don't forget we were once "enemies" of the state. Terrorists, bandits, accused of crimes we didn't commit. Crimes a government carried out specifically to blame us. Learn your history Yidden. ”

so foolish! this is a medina shel chesed and our goverment is only trying to stop real terrorism.

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Sep 20, 2011 at 10:55 AMButterfly Says:

Maybe the City should take away their funding!! That would be the only way to put them in their place!! If the city wants to put police on Brooklyn College grounds it is in order to protect the city and state at large noit just the University!!

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Sep 20, 2011 at 12:32 PMChachoMoe Says:

“
To #10- Evidently, you don't remember historical events. In 1971, the Jewish Defense League bombed the offices of impresario Sol Hurok; he previously arranged for cultural events, such as the Russian ballet coming to NYC. A Jewish woman, a secretary, died because of the bombing. Also, in 1947, the King David Hotel was bombed by the Irgun. There were also innocent civilians who were killed in that bombing (both Jews and non-Jews). ”

You sound like the typical Arab...bringing up "King David Hotel" as an historical indication to jewish terrorism! FYI, the bombing incentive was the British forces who sided with the Arabs at the time, they had just confiscated 1000's of documents from the Jewish agency and, arrested over 2000 Jews! It was war! Moreover, they actually called and warned the British to evacuate: Begin quotes one British official who supposedly refused to evacuate the building, saying: "We don't take orders from the Jews."! Learn History!

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Sep 20, 2011 at 01:31 PMRebKlemson Says:

I went there and a good majority of the professors they hire are completely incompetent fools who end up getting tenure. We've had professors that copy powerpoint slides and add the word "so" to it to make it look very original, we've had teachers who didn't even know when classes end. the place is just falling apart and we should care what the few pro-arab ones have to say

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Sep 20, 2011 at 03:25 PMhungry Says:

“
Would you be upset if your rabbi from your shul put up a camera near the shuls kitchen to see who is going to the kiddush club during musaf? ”

Your making me laugh. You mean the Rabbi that prepared the chulent and herring and crackers? Of course I wouldn't want him to see cuz by the time musaf ends there is usually nothing left. ARABS NEED TO BE WATCHED NOT FOR WHAT GOES INTO THERE MOUTHS BUT WHAT COMES OUT OF THEIR MOUTH, WHAT ARE THEIR PLANS. HASHEM YARACHEM